University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Verizon Innovative Learning (VIL)
Free Program for Minority Males in Middle Schools (6th -8th Grade)

By 2020, 77% of the US jobs will require a technology skill-set, yet millions of students lack access to the technology and resources they need to help them thrive in a digital economy. Verizon Innovative Learning (VIL), a Verizon Foundation education initiative, addresses this issue by providing free technology, free access and an innovative curriculum to students impacted by the digital divide.

This summer, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) will partner with Verizon Innovative Learning to offer a program that will provide next-gen technology and entrepreneurship courses to local minority male students in middle school on the UDC campus. We are proud to work with the Verizon Foundation to cultivate an interest in STEM education and help prepare students for future jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The 2018 -2019 VIL curriculum will include the following areas of focus that will permeate various elements of the program:

“Design Thinking”

Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR)

Electronics

3D Modeling & Printing

Team and Character Building

The VIL Program has three components:

Summer Enrichment Camp–The 3-week summer camp will be held on the UDC campus July 9th through July 27th.

Saturday STEM Academy–The Saturday STEM Academy will be held one Saturday per month (September 2018 through April 2019).

Mentor/Mentee Pairing– Students will be paired with a mentor and assigned a peer team for the duration of the Program.

Program Requirements:

The participant must be an male of African American or Hispanic descent

The participant must be entering grades 6th, 7th or 8th during the 2018-19 School Year

The participant must reside in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area (DC, MD and VA)

The participant must attend a school that has been designated as a Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) school in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area (for new applicants)

The participant must participate in the mandatory 3-week summer camp at UDC-Van Ness

The participant must participate in the Saturday STEM Academy at UDC-Van Ness

Become a Creator with Technology

We need more of our minority young men to be prepared for success in the digital world.

That’s why the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and Verizon are inviting African American and Latino boys in middle school to participate in a unique technology immersion program. The program commences with a two-week summer enrichment program that is followed by monthly workshops occurring one Saturday a month during the school year. Students will receive hands-on advanced technology, app development, coding, 3-D design and printing, robotics and virtual reality experience and more. They also will learn what is required to be an entrepreneur that builds (from scratch) and runs their own business.

Students will see what it is like to be in college, and will be paired with graduate and undergraduate students who will serve as year-round mentors. The goal of the program is to expose African American and Latino boys to technology and introduce them to careers in the various technological fields they may not know exist.

We need more children to see the world of possibilities. With access to technological tools and educational resources, our young men can use technology to create a better future for themselves, their communities and the world.